Where Fate & Destiny Collide, a Universe in Peril
by Hiroson
Summary: Taylor Hiroson is a Pokemon Trainer with big ambitions. However, the hard part will be just staying alive. Team Rocket has hatched plans for world domination and destruction. PG-13 for blood, graphic violence, comic humor, and some sexual references.


Pokémon: Where Fate and Destiny Collide, A Universe in Peril  
  
Prologue  
What are Pokémon? That is a question that has swept across the minds of scientists and researchers through the ages. These creatures have the potential to be our pets, dearest of friends, or fighting machines capable of slaughtering the human race itself. Which of these will they ultimately shape into? Only time will tell.  
  
May 29, 2034, 12:37 A.M.  
Lightning flashed brilliantly across the night sky. The loud roar of thunder followed soon after. Rain continued to pour relentlessly upon the roof of Bill's cottage on the continent of Kanto. Inside the cottage, Bill, the famous inventor and scientist, found himself lost in an interesting book on molecular physics. He turned from page to page, reading under the dim light of his desk lamp.  
Bill lifted his eyes from the text and looked over at the tall, human shaped figure leaned against the wall. He smiled, proud of his new creation, called Andrew. Andrew was the first successful prototype of the android that Bill had spent countless days, weeks, and months trying to build. After creating such things as the Pokémon Storage System and the Time Capsule, Bill had felt it necessary to produce man-based machines that could do work and help people in everyday life. This particular one was the first of its kind, and its serial number was number 0A-1. Bill had come up with the blueprints for this marvel some time ago, but had finally gained enough resources to create it. He planned to have Andrew mass produced and sold in the public market, allowing a person, whether it be a man, woman, or child, to have an easier life, which was his true goal as an inventor. Bill took his gaze from the machine and continued reading.  
The window shattered. Bill shot up from his chair and whirled around. Several men, tall and intimidating, gained entry into his home. The invaders were clad in black suits, with black caps and white gloves and boots. Their shirts and caps had an "R" insignia that was the color of blood. Bill's eyes widened in horror. These men were none other than grunts from the infamous, ruthless criminal organization known as Team Rocket.  
"Wh-What do you want?" Bill stammered. The Rocket soldier closest to him pointed to the android in the corner of the room.  
"That's what we came here for, Mr. Inventor." The grunt replied, water dripping from his blond hair. He pierced through Bill's eyes with his own pair of blue. "Let us have what we want, and no one gets hurt."  
Bill observed as the Team Rocket soldiers snatched up his black- haired, humanoid robot and headed for the door. He realized that his throat was getting parched, and he was out of air. Bill swallowed hard and took a deep breath, in shock of what was transpiring. He clenched his fists and started toward the soldiers when he slammed into something hard. He looked up and saw the face of their lead one, which was glaring down at him, making him feel even smaller.  
"And just WHAT do you think you're doing?" the grunt inquired. Bill got on his feet and stared into the soldier.  
"I'm not going to just stand here and let you take away my greatest invention that I spent so much time, energy and money on!" Bill exclaimed, gritting his teeth.  
A gunshot roared through the air. Bill collapsed and laid still, blood trickling from his side. Smoke rose from the barrel of the pistol the lead grunt had fired. The soldier grinned.  
"You're right, Mr. Inventor, you won't be standing there while letting us go. You'll be lying down. You're lucky I didn't aim for your heart, so you'll probably survive. Goodnight."  
The soldiers in black vanished into the stormy night, taking Andrew with them. Some time later, an emergency squad vehicle arrived at Bill's cottage and the incapacitated scientist was carried away.  
  
Chapter One  
August 29, 2034, 9:54 A.M.  
"Taylor! Wake up! You overslept again!"  
Taylor Hiroson grumbled and groaned, hearing the voice of his mother urging him to get out of bed. He threw off the covers of his bed and slowly rose, noticing the sun shining over New Bark Town outside the window. He proceeded to get dressed and eat breakfast, which was a typical day. He slipped on white tennis shoes, yellow and black shorts, a black T- shirt and his usual red jacket. Taylor put his favorite hat on, which was colored yellow and white. He flipped the hat backwards and let part of his wavy black hair stick out of the opening, a style that he admired. He went out to the kitchen and noticed his mother in the doorway.  
"Taylor, you shouldn't have slept in!" she shouted. "You were supposed to see Professor Elm an hour ago!"  
Taylor blinked and opened his sky blue eyes. He had forgotten all about seeing that crazy old scientist that worked in a lab across the street from him. He reached for his backpack and slung it over his shoulder.  
"Well, I guess I'll go see what he wants, then" Taylor exclaimed. His mother embraced and kissed him, and bid him farewell.  
Taylor Hiroson opened the door and almost stepped out of his house when a voice stopped him.  
"Hey, you weren't going to go without me, were you?"  
He turned around to see his twin sister, Crystal, standing in the doorway, wind blowing her blue hair. Taylor gave a nervous laugh and smiled.  
"Um, of course not" he exclaimed. "I had every intention of bringing my wonderful sister with me for this errand."  
She glared at him. "And that's why you left without saying a single word to me?"  
He fell backwards and landed on his head. He got up on his feet and sighed.  
"Oh, all right.you can come along, I guess" he said. Crystal smiled and came up to him, with a backpack already strapped on her shoulder over her red sleeveless shirt and black shorts. The two started walking towards Professor Elm's lab, talking along the way.  
"So, what does Elm want this time?" Crystal asked.  
Taylor glanced at her and replied, "Beats me. I think it was something about delivering a package. No big deal, I guess."  
The twins arrived at the enormous, looming lab and knocked on the door. No one answered. Taylor sighed and decided to open the door and step inside, Crystal following close behind. The two glanced around the large room that was filled with computers, beakers, scales, and other scientific equipment. Then Taylor's eyes drifted toward the center, and there sat Professor Elm at a desk, typing away on his personal laptop. The absent-minded scientist looked like he had been extremely busy recently, half-shaven and lacked the nourishment of sleep. Taylor glanced at Crystal and the twins grinned. Since this was a great opportunity that was just too good to pass up, they slowly crept behind the professor.  
"Hey, Professor Elm!" the two shouted suddenly, right over his shoulder. He launched out of his seat and landed on the tiled floor, almost having a heart attack. Panting, Elm stood up and whirled around.  
"Taylor and Crystal Hiroson!" he shouted at them. "Don't scare me like that again! I was in the middle of very important research!"  
Taylor grinned. "Sorry, we couldn't resist. You're always so unaware of what's going on around you that you didn't even hear us knock at your door or enter the lab."  
The Professor frowned. "Oh.well, in any case, don't do that anymore! You'll force me into early retirement that way." He stepped toward the young duo and asked, "So, besides playing your usual tricks on me, what did you come here for?"  
Taylor laughed. "You forgot already?" He pretended to knock on Professor Elm's forehead. "Hello, is anybody in there? You asked me not too long ago to come here to do an errand for you."  
Elm's eyes lit up. "Oh, yes, now I remember" he said. He strode over to his desk, grabbed a square package that was wrapped tight, and handed it to Taylor. "I want you to deliver this to the Poké Mart in Cherrygrove City. It's not far from here if you follow the path on Route 29."  
Crystal gave the scientist a skeptical look. "So, you want us to travel to another city we've never been to before, while going through territory of wild Pokémon?"  
Elm took his gaze to her. "Oh, that's right, I need to give you two something" he replied. He went over to a testing area that was filled with beakers and picked up three red-and-white, spherical objects. Then, he returned to Taylor and Crystal and showed the balls to them.  
Taylor's eyes widened, and Crystal's eyebrows lifted. "Those are.Pokéballs! Only legally licensed trainers that have passed the exam can handle those!" Taylor exclaimed.  
Professor Elm smiled and said, "Yes, but notice that they aren't empty. There are Pokémon in them. I want each of you two to choose one to keep as your own."  
Crystal stared hard at the Pokéballs. "But wouldn't that be against the law for us to use them?"  
Elm chuckled and placed two red colored, square shaped objects in their hands. "No, not all" he said, "You're both over ten years of age and I had enough faith in you to have arranged for your trainer's licenses to automatically be registered into these Pokédexes. In other words, I'm letting you two become official Pokémon Trainers without having to pass that exam."  
Taylor smiled brightly. "Woah! This is so cool! Mom wouldn't let us be Pokémon Trainers yet because she felt we weren't ready."  
Elm looked at Taylor. "Yes, well, you're both fifteen years of age, and I'm sure you can handle this. Consider this your reward for delivering that package. Now, choose one of the Pokémon you see in those balls." He pressed a switch on the Pokéballs and the top, red colored part became transparent, revealing the creatures inside. Elm pointed to the first one on the left. "This one here is Chikorita. It is a Grass based creature." The Chikorita was small and light green colored, with red eyes and a leaf attached to its head. He then pointed to the one in the middle. "This is Totodile. It is a Water type Pokémon." The Totodile was colored blue and had red eyes, with sharp claws and fangs that could tear flesh open with ease. Then, he took his finger to the last ball. "This would be Cyndaquil. It is a Fire elemental creature." This Cyndaquil was the smallest of the three, with narrow eyes, a long snout, and was yellow on the underside and dark blue on top. Taylor grinned and stepped forward. He lowered his hand to the Pokéball that had Chikorita in it and carefully picked it up. "Out of those three Pokémon, I liked this one the best. He's my choice," he said with pride. Crystal came up from behind and scooped up the Pokéball that contained Cyndaquil. "I like this one. He's very cute." Taylor's eyes narrowed. "Hey! You picked that one just because it has the advantage over mine!" he yelled. Crystal stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Did not!" "Did, too!" Elm laughed and interrupted the quarrel. "First of all, Taylor, you were free to choose whatever you wanted, and you insisted on getting first pick. Your sister chose Cyndaquil, and that is that, all right? Second, you two automatically assumed your Pokémon were males. Only the Chikorita is a male. That Cyndaquil is a female." The two siblings fell on their heads. Crystal laughed, getting on her feet. "Then, how are we supposed to tell what gender they are?" The professor answered, "Well, there are two ways. One method is one that you wouldn't enjoy trying, and the other is to use your Pokédexes. Those devices are pretty simple to operate and can contain an almost limitless amount of information." Taylor rose. "So, this.Pokédex.has my license already encoded in it?" "Yes, it sure does," Elm said, smiling. "And another thing you should try doing if you wish to become a Pokémon Trainer is to record the entries of any Pokémon you would encounter along the path of your journey." Taylor stared at the Pokédex in his hand and looked up at Elm. "Since I'm a real Pokémon Trainer now, don't I have to travel around to cities and challenge the Gym Leaders?" Elm replied, "Yes, indeed, you do. To prove your worth to yourself, your Pokémon, and the rest of the world, you must challenge each leader and get every Official Pokémon League Badge." Crystal sighed, almost seeing stars. "This is giving me a headache. One thing at a time, please," she exclaimed. The crazy scientist laughed again. "Oh, all right. Take what I've given you, and go deliver that package!" Taylor and Crystal nodded and started for the door when Elm stopped them. "Wait, I almost forgot!" he shouted. He eyed the strange watch-like devices on the two. "I just remembered you had those Pokégear devices that allow you to make phone calls. Here, let me record my phone number in them so I can contact you if the need arises." He held his Pokégear in front of theirs and the unseen radio waves emitted between the devices, recording his number into their devices and their numbers into his. Taylor smiled at the professor. "Thanks for everything, Elm. You don't know how much this means to me." The siblings waved farewell and stepped out of Professor Elm's Lab. Taylor unzipped his backpack and placed the package carefully inside it. Crystal took the Pokéball that had her Cyndaquil in it and placed it in the pocket of her shorts. Taylor did the same with his Chikorita. The two strolled away from New Bark Town until they noticed the sign for Route 29. They followed the sign onto a dirt path that was surrounded by grass. Suddenly, two small rat-like creatures sprang out from the grass bushes and leaped onto Taylor and Crystal. These purple colored rodents started to bite into their legs and necks, creating gashes that blood dripped from. Taylor winced in pain. "Argh.I think now would be a good time to see what our Pokémon can do against these Ratattas, Crystal!" he yelled. "I agree!" she called back, trying to force the rat Pokémon off of her leg. The two took their Pokéballs from their pockets and hurled them at the ground. The spheres shone brightly and top parts opened, lighting the area with a white flash. Soon after, the Chikorita and Cyndaquil were standing before them. Neither Taylor nor Crystal knew of the capabilities of their new companions, and both struggled to think of a plan. Taylor pointed at the rodent to his side and looked down at the Chikorita. "Chikorita, do something! Attack that thing!" he cried. The Chikorita leaned forward and several smaller leaves shot out from the leaf on its head. The leaves sailed through the air and assaulted the Ratatta, cutting deep into its skin and leaving enormous cuts. The rodent collapsed. Taylor grinned. "Wow, that was cool! Good job!" he exclaimed. Taylor then turned to see how his sister was doing. He saw the other Ratatta lying on the ground, with intense burn marks across its body. He gazed at the Cyndaquil, noticing that it now actually had fiery spikes on its back. Taylor blinked, rubbed his eyes, and stared again. The creature seemed as if it were on fire, but was standing still, completely calm. More blood dripped from his leg. "Great job, Crystal! That was kind of fun in a strange way!" he said. His sister smiled. "I agree. That Cyndaquil ignited fire on its back and just toasted the thing!" Then, Taylor gave a puzzled look. "Uh.we released our Pokémon by throwing those balls on the ground, but how do we get them to go back?" he questioned. Crystal giggled. She looked at her brother and said, "That's easy! Just watch." She bent down and took the Pokéball into her hand. She stood up and pressed a small, black button on the ball and a bright red beam emitted from the center of it. The beam struck the Cyndaquil, shrunk it in size, and pulled it back into the Pokéball. The red lid of the Pokéball closed down tight. Taylor watched this carefully and repeated the process with his Chikorita, returning it into its resting area. Taylor turned to Crystal. "Since they shrink when we call them back and they grow when we release them, do they feel pain from that?" he asked. Crystal shrugged. "I would guess so," she replied, "but I don't think it hurts too much. Don't worry about it." Taylor took his gaze down to the two rats on the ground. Blood still trickled from the one he had defeated. He pulled out the Pokédex device and activated it. The screen flickered on and a holographic image of the creature he had beaten appeared. An electronic voice spoke, giving detailed information on the creature, such as its name, its height, weight, and known facts. After the device finished recording the data, Taylor closed it up and placed it inside his backpack. The two Pokémon Trainers continued to walk along the path side by side, following each twist and turn, and fighting more wild creatures. Some time later, Cherrygrove City came into view. It was at least twice the size of New Bark Town, and seemed enormous and confusing in comparison. Taylor heard the footsteps of his sister cease behind him, and he turned around to her. She held the Pokéball in her hand, grinning at him. He raised an eyebrow and wondered what she was up to. "What's up, Crystal? Why'd you stop?" he inquired. "I want to see how good we've gotten," she replied. "So let's battle each other." Taylor dug his hand in his jacket pocket and got out his Pokéball. "We may not know much about what these things can do, but you're on." Crystal sent her Cyndaquil out, and Taylor released his Chikorita soon after, again with flashes of bright white light. Taylor wiped the sweat off his forehead. The afternoon sun made the day hot, but this Cynaquil creature increased the heat whenever it was present. Cyndaquil was faster than Chikorita, so it got the first move. "Cyndaquil, burn it to ashes with your Ember attack!" Crystal shouted.  
Fire shot out from the top of Cyndaquil's back, and it spewed intense fire from its mouth at Chikorita. Taylor's anxiety grew, for he knew that Fire Pokémon have the edge in battle against Grass Pokémon. He wanted to warn his Chikorita of the impending danger, but it was already too late. The inferno grazed its body and sent it backward to the rough ground.  
"Chikorita!" he cried. "Please, get back up!"  
Crystal smiled, pleased with the current battle. "You should give up, brother, before your Pokémon gets seriously injured. You knew I'd win"  
Then, Chikorita struggled to its feet, with blackened burn marks all over it. It gave a sharp cry and charged forward. Crystal ordered her Cyndaquil to breathe fire once more. This time, Chikorita was quick in speed and dodged the stream of fire to the side. Taylor commanded it to tackle the Fire Pokémon down. Chikorita obeyed and slammed the Cyndaquil down into the ground. The spikes of fire on the Cyndaquil's back were put out, and the creature was helpless.  
Crystal stared in shock. Taylor snickered. "Just because you had the advantage doesn't mean you get an automatic victory," he told her. "Sometimes it takes skill, and maybe some luck."  
Crystal nodded and called her Cyndaquil back into its Pokéball. She smiled. "You win."  
"Thanks. You did well, Crystal. And you rocked, Chikorita!" Taylor shouted. He returned his Chikorita, with his confidence higher. He looked back to his sister. "Hey, if it's hurt bad enough, you can heal it at the Pokémon Center in Cherrygrove."  
She frowned at him. "I don't have much money on me, brother."  
Taylor laughed. "Pokémon Centers don't charge you anything. The Pokémon League pays the nurses and staff itself. And they're paid real well, I hear. Let's keep going."  
Eventually, they reached the entrance of Cherrygrove City. It seemed much smaller inside than it had from a distance. Taylor and Crystal traveled to the Pokémon Center building. It was painted white and red, and had a pleasant atmosphere to it. Crystal went to the treatment area and handed her Cyndaquil to the nurse. The nurse took the Cyndaquil and gave it a regular checkup, treating its injuries with advanced equipment. She handed it back to Crystal and tended to another patient. The Cyndaquil looked much better now, and gave off a happy cry.  
Taylor and Crystal continued to journey through the city, keeping an eye out for the Poké Mart. The two spotted it after turning a corner and walking a block. There was a strange, elderly looking man standing outside on the sidewalk, apparently waiting for someone. The Trainers approached him.  
"Hello, Mister, you need something?" Taylor asked.  
The old man's gazes went from Taylor's face to Crystal's, and back again. Then, the gentleman smiled and laughed. He spoke calmly and professionally.  
"Ah, you made it! I was waiting for you," he stated.  
Taylor was puzzled. "What do you mean, sir?"  
"The package. Where is it?" the man asked.  
Taylor reached into his backpack and pulled the box out. He slowly handed it to the old man. The man smiled again.  
"Yes, yes! That's it! Did my student send it to you?" he asked.  
Crystal's eyes widened. "Student? You mean Professor Elm?"  
The man looked to her and said, "Yes. I take it you were the two he told me about." He came closer and continued. "You see, I am Professor Oak."  
Taylor's mouth dropped open. "You're THE Professor Oak? I can't believe it! You're world famous!" he exclaimed.  
Professor Oak chuckled. "Yes, that would be me. Thank you two for delivering this to me in such good condition. I greatly appreciate it." He noticed the Pokédexes they were carrying. "I see you're recording data entries," he said. "That's wonderful! I knew you'd make great Pokémon Trainers as soon as I had heard about you."  
Crystal took a step back. "Wait a minute, sir. Professor Elm kind of pushed us into this. I know that becoming real Pokémon Trainers is a life-long endeavor. There's no way we would be able to do something like that!"  
Taylor clenched a fist. "I think I can. I'm ready for anything. I've wanted to become a Pokémon Trainer ever since my dad left us! I wouldn't want anything more than becoming a great Trainer and finding my father!"  
Professor Oak grinned. "Ah, so much spirit and determination! You remind me very much of myself back in the day. When I was your age."  
He followed with a long story about the past that the two twins only remember as "Blah, blah, blah."  
Later (after what seemed to them as an eternity), the kind old professor finished his story and handed them four more Pokéballs. "Here," he exclaimed, "you can use these to catch more Pokémon from the wild and tame them as your own. You usually buy them from Poké Marts such as these, but since you were kind enough to deliver my package to me and listen to my tale, they're yours free of charge."  
Taylor stuffed two of them into his backpack and beamed. "Thank you, Professor Oak. We were happy to be able to help."  
Crystal shoved her two Pokéballs into her backpack and sighed. Then, she remembered something she had wanted to ask the old professor. "Hey, Professor Oak, what was in that package anyway?"  
The scientist smiled. "Why, my favorite tea packets, of course! I can't start my mornings without a nice cup of tea."  
Taylor and Crystal fell backwards and landed on their heads. Crystal stood up and got angry. "You mean we risked our necks out in the wild and spent our whole day traveling to this place just to bring you TEA?"  
Professor Oak laughed. "Well, actually, that was part of it. The other part was testing you to see how well you would do, and you soared high above my expectations."  
Taylor shrugged. "I can't complain. I think it's been the best day I've had in my life so far. In fact---" Taylor's Pokégear cell phone rang. He lifted the device to his face and tapped the receiver button. It was Professor Elm's number.  
"Hello?" Taylor said.  
"Taylor! I'm sorry to disturb you, but you need to get back here quick! It's so terrible that it will speak for itself when you arrive!"  
Taylor's eyes got big. "I'll be right there!" he said, ending the call. He looked up at Oak and his sister.  
"Something's happened back at New Bark. I should be back here by tomorrow. It was a pleasure meeting you, sir, but I must go now."  
Professor Oak lowered his head. Taylor started to run, but a hand tugged on his jacket. He whirled around to see Crystal, with a worried look on her face. He narrowed his eyes.  
"Look, Crystal, I'm not sure what exactly has happened, but it may be dangerous to go back. I want you to stay here. I promise I'll be back later," he explained.  
She sighed and released her grip. "Oh, all right," she said. "But be careful, and make sure you call me and tell me what happened, okay?"  
Taylor nodded and dashed as fast as his legs could carry him out of the city and through Route 29. He stopped several times along the way to catch his breath, and then pressed on. When he finally made it to New Bark Town, what Taylor's eyes showed him horrified him. He stared in horror as he saw the emergency squad placing sheets over dead bodies and carrying them away. He looked around more and saw several more bodies lying on the ground, riddled by bullets. He was in complete shock, for he knew each and every victim.  
Taylor ran quickly to Professor Elm's lab and noticed the door was broken and the windows, beakers, and test tubes were shattered. Glass shards were spread across the floor in the main room. Computers and other equipment were demolished. Taylor went up to Professor Elm, who was kneeling over the wreckage.  
"What.happened.here?" Taylor questioned.  
"A man in black," Elm answered, not turning to face him. "He came into town, killed everyone in his way, and broke into my lab. I even got to see him, and no vision has terrified me more in my life. He destroyed almost everything, and he knocked me into a wall with intense force when I tried to stop him. Then, as I struggled to get up, I saw him leave with all of my research documents, blueprints, and Pokémon. This man was incredibly fast, and eyewitnesses say that they didn't even see him pull out a weapon when he murdered the people. And, one more thing.he bore the "R" insignia on his chest and cap!"  
Taylor stood still in shock from hearing all of the news. He slowly moved his mouth to speak. "You mean.he.was.from Team Rocket?"  
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Elm replied. "The same group that hospitalized Bill for three weeks."  
Taylor lowered his head. "We knew each and every man, woman, and child he slaughtered."  
Elm nodded silently.  
Taylor lifted his head up suddenly and gasped. "My mother! Is she.?" He sprinted swiftly over to his home. Even though it had only been a day, it seemed like years had passed since he had last been at his house. He threw the door open and ran upstairs. There, in her bedroom, was his mother crying softly. Taylor Hiroson ran over to his mother, threw himself on her, and wept. Sleep overcame him soon afterward.  
  
Chapter Two  
August 30, 2034, 10:26 A.M.  
Taylor Hiroson opened his eyes and found himself on his own bed in his bedroom. He sat up and looked around, and the sun shone brightly. Images of the horrors of the previous day flashed across his mind. He could still see one man's body that had at least three bullets in him, lying in a pool of blood. And then Taylor saw the body of a young child, a single bullet hole through her head.  
Taylor clenched his fist and swore. Team Rocket had to pay for this. He stood up on his feet and strolled into the kitchen, where his mother was cooking eggs for breakfast. Taylor's heart pounded faster and he swallowed hard. This next step he was going to take could be one of the most difficult things he's ever done. But, things had to be this way, at least in his mind.  
"Hi, mom," Taylor said, giving her a hug.  
She smiled and held him tight. "Good morning, baby." Taylor stepped back and looked into her eyes.  
"Mom.there's something I need to tell you," he stated. His mother halted what she was doing and stared.  
"Yes, dear?" she asked him.  
Taylor took a deep breath. "I'm going to be leaving now. And I won't be coming home for a very long time. Professor Elm gave me the push I needed to finally become a real Pokémon Trainer. I want to work hard and be the best, no matter what it takes. And, most of all, I want to find dad."  
His mother's smile faded and a sigh followed. "I knew this day would come. I had a feeling that this errand you and your sister did yesterday would decide it. You both really have your father's blood in you. I'm afraid that she'll want to go, also."  
Taylor's eyes moved to the floor. He could tell that his mother was in great sorrow.  
"Taylor, look up at me, honey," she exclaimed. He lifted his head.  
"This is the path that you want to follow, and I can't stop you. You must do what you think you should do. Since this is what makes you happy, then I really believe that you should go on this journey and pursue that lifestyle."  
Taylor's smile returned. "Thanks, mom. I promise I'll do my best."  
His mother pulled him close to her and said, "Then I guess this is good-bye. I want you to take care of yourself, and make sure that you eat right and change your underwear."  
Taylor laughed and released from her grip. "I'll do that. And I promise that I'll call you during my trip from the Pokégear phone you gave me." Then, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and started for the door.  
"Good-bye, Taylor," she said.  
He turned around and waved. "Bye, mom!" With that, he left his house and walked away, leaving his mother's watch. As Taylor passed the professor's lab, he spotted Elm on the front step. The scientist waved.  
"See you later, Taylor! Good luck to you!" Elm called.  
Taylor grinned. "Bye, Professor! Take care!"  
Then, Taylor traveled out of his hometown and his comfort zone, feeling that his life just started over. As he reached Route 29 once more, he remembered his promise to his sister. He dialed her number on her Pokégear phone and called her. Crystal's familiar voice answered the other line and Taylor spoke with her, explaining everything that had happened the day before and his new plan in life. Her voice was filled with anguish when he told her about the murders, and then with enthusiasm when he told her about starting his journey.  
"Not without me, you're not," Crystal declared.  
"Crystal, don't go with me," he demanded. "You'll get in the way and you said to Professor Oak yourself that you weren't ready for something like this!"  
He heard laughing and a sigh from the other end. "I thought much about all of it last night, and I really feel like I should do this, too. After all, I'm a Pokémon Trainer, too, you know! I'll be fine. Trust me."  
Taylor sighed. After some thought, he said, "Oh, all right. I guess it might be neat to travel with my sister."  
"Thanks, bro," Crystal said. "I'll see you in Cherrygrove. I'll be in the Pokémon Center."  
Taylor's eyebrows lifted. "Hey, sis, is Oak still with you?"  
"He had to leave for business or something," she replied. "Don't worry about it."  
Taylor bid her farewell and hung up. Later, he entered the now familiar city and saw Crystal waiting for him outside the Pokémon Center. The two embraced. After some discussion (and consulting a map), they decided on a destination. They wanted to head north to Violet City, a bustling place that was home to the first Pokémon League Gym in Johto.  
Taylor and Crystal had to follow the paths of Routes 30 and 31 in order to reach the city. The journey was relatively simple, and they only had to stop for food and rest twice along the way. Soon enough, Violet City came into view. It was magnificent, and one particular building stood high above the trees, possibly touching the clouds. Before the brother and sister could reach the entrance, a small boy wearing a straw hat and carrying a net stopped them.  
"Hey, you two are Pokémon Trainers, aren't ya?" he inquired.  
The two nodded.  
He looked at them and said, "Well, by Official Pokémon League Rules, I have the right to challenge you to a battle! And Section 23-B states that the loser must pay the winner 1/4 of his current funds. Either of you up for it?"  
Taylor stepped toward the boy. "You bet I am! Let's go!"  
The boy smiled and placed his net on the ground. He reached for a Pokéball and threw it onto the ground. It flashed brilliantly and a small worm creature with sharp needles at both ends emerged. Taylor sent out his Chikorita. The boy grinned.  
"My Weedle here will sting you and pump poison through your body! I'm gonna win!"  
The boy ordered the Weedle to do Poison Sting, an attack where a sharp and poisonous needle is shot into the opponent. Taylor's Chikorita swiftly dodged the projectile and sent several Razor Leaves flying. The Weedle managed to slip by a few, but got cut by the last one. The Weedle flew back and hit the ground. Then, the boy's anger grew and he commanded Weedle to perform the String Shot. The worm spewed a silky, sticky substance from his mouth and wrapped up the Chikorita in it. Taylor panicked.  
"Man, how can Chikorita win if he can't even move?" he said, gritting his teeth.  
The boy laughed. "It's over! Weedle, charge in and slam it down!"  
Then, as the Weedle dashed toward the supposed helpless Grass Pokémon, Chikorita started to glow a strange hue of green. Soon, the Weedle shone the same color. Light balls of energy rose up from the Weedle and flew into the Chikorita. Seconds later, the Weedle collapsed and the Chikorita burst from its silky bondage. The bug catching boy removed his hat and tossed it on the ground.  
"What happened? How did I lose?" he asked.  
Taylor opened his Pokédex and examined his Chikorita. "He seemed to have used an attack called Absorb, where he drains the life force of the opponent into him." Taylor beamed. He had just won his first official Pokémon Trainer battle. The bug catcher unhappily handed Taylor some dollar bills, picked up his net, and stomped off. Taylor laughed, then glanced around, noticing that Crystal was no where to be seen. Then, he heard her voice.  
"Go, Pokéball!"  
He sprinted over to see her throwing one of her two empty Pokéballs at a burned creature that resembled a ladybug. The ball popped open and shot out a blue colored beam at the ladybug, which pierced it instantly. The blue beam shrunk the bug in size, pulled it into the ball, and the ball sealed shut. The Pokéball shook a little from the creature's resistance, then stopped. The button in the middle of the ball glowed red and halted. Crystal picked up the Pokéball that held her new catch. She smiled.  
"All right! Looks like I got me a Ledyba!" she shouted.  
Taylor stared in amazement. "Wow, good job! You caught your first Pokémon!"  
His sister patted her Cyndaquil. "Thanks to her, that is." She then called it back.  
Taylor grumbled. He also wanted to catch a Pokémon. He envied Crystal now with her new companion. He sighed and followed his sister down the latter part of Route 31. Fatigue overcame Taylor and he decided to rest under a tree. He asked Crystal to sit down with him until he regained his strength. The two talked for a while, laughing here and there.  
Then, Taylor felt something touching his shoulder. He glanced down to find a green spider crawling on him.  
"Oh, it's just a Spinarak." He said bluntly, turning his head back to Crystal. Then, suddenly realizing what he had just said, he looked back at the creature and screamed.  
"It's a Spinarak! They're poisonous!" Taylor panicked and danced around, trying to get the spider off of him.  
Crystal laughed and asked, "Why don't you just sweep it off with your hand?"  
Taylor yelled, "Because it might bite me!"  
He ran around and danced more. "I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die!"  
Crystal giggled some more. "Taylor, just send out your Chikorita! I'm sure he can do something about it!"  
Taylor ran around, completing another circle, then stopped quickly. He nervously reached for his Pokéball that contained Chikorita, and hurled it down. The Chikorita came out and turned to see his master, noticing the Spinarak that was on him. Chikorita gave a cry and unleashed Razor Leaves at the spider. The razor sharp leaves cut into the spider Pokémon and it fell off of Taylor into the grass. Taylor sighed with relief.  
Crystal shot him an annoyed look. "Hello, Earth to Taylor! Catch it!"  
Taylor looked down at the Spinarak that was on its back. After much careful consideration (and nagging from his sister), Taylor decided to make it his first catch. He pulled out one of his empty Pokéballs and tossed it at the spider. Just like what he had seen before, the ball sucked up the Spinarak and closed tight. However, this time the ball didn't shake once. Taylor grinned and scooped up the Pokéball.  
"Cool! I caught my first Pokémon, too!" he proclaimed. Crystal smiled at him.  
"And since it didn't even struggle one bit, I guess it really likes you."  
Taylor rolled his eyes. "Yeah, enough to almost give me a heart attack!"  
Eventually, the twins reached the entrance to Violet City. It was rather late at night, and it was a lively city. Streetlights were on and cars sped by constantly. Taylor decided to stop at the Pokémon Center first, but Crystal wanted to shop at the various stores. He told her to meet him at the Center, and started for it. This one was much larger in size than the one in Cherrygrove, and seemed busier.  
Taylor entered through the automatic doors and looked around. This place was big and more colorful. He came up to the counter and asked the nurse to heal his two Pokémon. She did so, and in a short time, handed them back to him. He thanked her and walked into the lobby area, where visitors were allowed to stay and rest for free if needed. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a young man in a lab coat and glasses tinkering with a strange looking machine that resembled a skateboard. He decided to stroll over and see what was going on.  
"Excuse me," Taylor said. The scientist looked up at him with brown eyes. "My name is Taylor Hiroson and I'm a Pokémon Trainer. Pardon me for asking, but what's your name and what is that you're working on?"  
The young man stood up and waved a hand through his brown hair, letting his ponytail hang. "Who am I, you ask? I am the world renowned and famous inventor, Isaac Oak!"  
Taylor laughed nervously. "Never heard of ya."  
Isaac fell on his head.  
Taylor helped Isaac to his feet and questioned, "You said your last name was Oak? Then you're related to Professor Oak?"  
Isaac nodded. "Yes, he is my grandfather. My other grandfather happens to be Blaine of the Cinnabar Island Pokémon Gym"  
Taylor's mouth dropped. "Wow! Your grandpas are gym leaders and famous researchers! That's neat!"  
Isaac beamed. "Yes, not only that, but I am an inventor! I design and create new inventions to aid my fellow beings!"  
He approached Taylor. "You've heard of the Poké Catcher and the Pokérang, haven't you?"  
"Uh.nope."  
Isaac collapsed on his head again, then stood up. "Well, they are two devices that are combinations of Pokéballs and Pokédexes in one!"  
Taylor smiled. "Wow, you must be something else!"  
Isaac felt proud. "Yes, and you are one lucky individual, because tonight, I am about to finish my greatest invention yet!"  
He led Taylor to the strange machine he was working on. "I call it the Poké Board! I have designed it to be a hovering skateboard, ideal for quick and convenient travel!"  
Taylor stared in awe. "Awesome."  
Isaac took hold of the last two wires and said, "And, now, feast your eyes on this great marvel! I am a genius!"  
Then, Isaac connected the wires and the Poké Board sparked a little, then exploded in his face.  
Taylor fell down on his head. "I take it that that.Poké Board.wasn't supposed to explode into tiny pieces before use, was it?"  
Isaac sighed deeply. "No, of course not." He pounded the ruined board. "Why didn't it work!? I spent months making sure its design was perfect!"  
Taylor got on his feet and placed a hand on Isaac's shoulder. "Hey, you tried your best. I know it may have taken a long time to do, but maybe you can get it to work right sometime. I can tell already that even though that invention was a flop, you're still a true genius."  
Isaac's anger faded. "Thanks. I don't get much encouragement like that these days."  
Taylor smiled. Then, he felt something touch his leg. He looked down and saw a purple bug with large, red compound eyes.  
"Huh? Wh-what's a Venonat doing here? He stammered.  
Isaac chuckled. "Oh, that's just my Venonat. I've had him since I was a kid."  
Taylor's gaze drifted to Isaac. 'Since you were a kid? Not to be rude or anything, but how old are you?"  
Isaac laughed again. "I turned eighteen about a month and seventeen days ago."  
"Oh, ok," Taylor said. "I'm fifteen. I became an official Pokémon Trainer yesterday."  
Isaac narrowed his eyes. "I see.so you're here to challenge the Gym Leader, as well?"  
Taylor nodded.  
Then, a loud snoring sound came from the other corner of the room. Taylor and Isaac raised their eyebrows and made their way to the sound. They came across a white sleeping bag that had a young boy inside it. The boy snored again. Taylor and Isaac laughed to themselves and walked back to their belongings.  
Taylor unzipped his backpack and got out a peanut butter sandwich he had packed earlier. He heard Venonat's cry again and petted the creature. When Taylor looked back up, the sandwich in his other hand was gone.  
"Huh? What's going on?" he asked.  
Isaac Oak laughed and pointed to the corner. That same boy was now stuffing down Taylor's sandwich. Taylor came over to him.  
"Hey, you swiped my sandwich!" he yelled.  
The boy finished eating and looked up at Taylor. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. I was starving!" His blue eyes stared into Taylor's own set of blue.  
Taylor sighed. "Oh, ok. Next time, you need to ask."  
The boy nodded, shaking his red hair. "Got it! I'm done sleeping now."  
Taylor looked at him curiously. "And who are you?"  
"The name's Playneman," he answered. "Josh Playneman."  
Isaac sighed. "Thank you, 007."  
Josh stared at Taylor and Isaac, then down to his sleeping bag. "I just got here today from Goldenrod. I'm really tired."  
Taylor kept his gaze on Josh. "Goldenrod? You live there?"  
Josh nodded once more. "Yep. Actually, you could say I'm the Assistant Gym Leader there."  
Taylor's eyes widened. "Woah.fancy title."  
Josh laughed. "Well, actually, I'm just the Gym Leader's little brother."  
Both Taylor and Isaac fell on their heads.  
Taylor rose and asked, "So, you're a Pokémon Trainer, too?"  
Josh smiled. "Yep."  
Taylor pointed to himself and to Isaac. "So are we."  
Isaac adjusted his glasses. "Do you have any Pokémon, then?" he inquired.  
Bright light filled the room and faded out. Afterward, a small fox creature stood before them. Now it was Isaac's turn to widen his eyes.  
"Woah! That's an Eevee! Those are extremely rare!"  
Josh swelled with pride. "Yeah. I've had him for a while." Then, Josh glanced at Taylor. "What about you?"  
Taylor let his Chikorita out of its Pokéball. Isaac smiled.  
"Wow, yet another rare find. You two sure are lucky!" he stated.  
"Yeah, yeah." Taylor said, lying down on a couch. "Say, Isaac, you got a girlfriend?"  
Isaac turned red and fell on his head. "N-no.I don't, actually."  
Moments later, something heavy and hard crashed down on Taylor's head, inducing much pain. A bruise formed, and Taylor scratched his head.  
"Ow! That really hurt! What was that?"  
Taylor glanced over and saw Josh holding what seemed to be a red hammer.  
"You hit me with a HAMMER? Why do you have a hammer with you, anyway?" he asked, still somewhat dizzy.  
Josh smiled mischievously. "It's my special hammer that I keep with me. I can use it to defend myself against criminals, my sister, or just use it to whack someone on the head whenever they say something stupid."  
Taylor looked at Josh suspiciously. "Wouldn't that mean that you'd have to hit yourself all the time?"  
Josh gritted his teeth. "Hey! That's not nice!"  
Isaac laughed aloud, followed by Taylor. Josh also chuckled. Then, their laughter was halted by a voice.  
"Hey, Taylor, who are these people?"  
The trio looked over and saw Crystal in the doorway, carrying some bags. She scanned the room, eyeing Isaac and then Josh. Taylor stood up.  
He pointed to Isaac. "This is Isaac Oak," he explained. "He's an inventor that's the grandson of Professor Oak and Blaine."  
His eyes came to Josh. "And this is Josh Playneman, the younger brother of the Goldenrod City Gym Leader."  
Crystal nodded and smiled. Josh looked at her, then to Taylor, and blinked.  
"Taylor, is she your girl?" he asked.  
Taylor and Crystal both fell on their heads.  
"She's my SISTER, you idiot!" Taylor cried. He glared at Josh. "We're twins, moron!"  
Isaac laid back and laughed hard.  
Crystal pulled a chair up and sat down in it. "So, are you guys going to the Pokémon Gym that's here?"  
Isaac and Josh nodded.  
Crystal then faced her brother and asked, "Do you think they could come along with us?"  
Taylor shrugged. "I don't see why not, but it's not my call to make."  
Isaac rose and did a victory sign with his hand. "I, Isaac Oak, brilliant scientist, shall join you in your quest!"  
Taylor smiled. Then Josh leaned forward and yawned. "Sure, I'll come along, too. Sounds like it could be fun, and I'll definitely be around someone that keeps food with them."  
Taylor gave a thumbs-up. "Well, it's settled, then. Welcome aboard, you two."  
Josh gave a cheesy smile and said, "We'll be like the Justice League of Trainers! Or the Avengers of Pokémon!"  
Everyone else sighed.  
Crystal rolled her eyes. "You're such a dork, Josh. But I'm glad you're here. We could use some company, really."  
The four Pokémon Trainers continued their discussions, which usually contained laughter or falling on their heads. As it reached midnight, one of the Pokémon Center nurses came into the lobby. She said that it was past their bedtimes and that they needed adequate sleep in order to stay healthy. After some mumbling and groaning, Taylor, Crystal, Isaac, and Josh slipped into their sleeping bags. Josh was easily the first to fall asleep. With the exception of Josh's constant snoring, the four enjoyed blissful and peaceful sleep for the reminder of the evening.  
  
Chapter Three  
August 31, 2034, 7:12 A.M.  
  
Taylor felt something shaking him.  
"Mmm.you're such a cutie." he mumbled about a dream in his sleep.  
His sister sighed and shook him harder. "Taylor, for the last time, get up!"  
He slowly opened his eyes and yawned. "It's too early." he complained.  
Crystal glared at him. "I know it's early, but something's wrong in the city."  
Taylor shot up and opened his eyes wider. "Yes, what is it?"  
Crystal stared into him and said, "There's a dangerous criminal gang in the city right as we speak. Isaac and Josh are already up and are about to head outside to help."  
Taylor threw his usual outfit on, hat and all, and grabbed his backpack. "Well, this had better be good. I was having a nice dream, too."  
Crystal rolled her eyes as Taylor followed her to the entrance. Isaac and Josh were at the door, with much concern on their faces. Taylor glanced at Isaac.  
"So, what's this about a gang?" he asked.  
"It's called the Boulder Gang," Isaac replied. "They're very dangerous and ruthless. If we're going to try and stop them, we had best be careful."  
Taylor nodded and the group headed outside. The same active city they had arrived at the night before was now lifeless and empty. As Taylor scanned the area, he noticed that many of the buildings were now covered in spray paint. Graffiti designs dominated the walls that surrounded the place. Numerous cars were smashed to pieces and fire hydrants were busted. The majority of the people outside were police officers patrolling the area for suspects, and police cars filled the streets. One of the female officers approached the four Trainers.  
"Excuse me, but it's too dangerous out here," she said, straightening her blue hair and fixing her skirt. "You need to stay inside."  
Taylor had zoned out for a bit, then came to and realized that his tongue was hanging out and he was staring at the officer. Without thinking he said, "Woah! She's a babe!"  
Josh's hammer slammed down on his head. Crystal sighed.  
"Ow!" Taylor yelled. "Not that again." He took off his hat and rubbed the bruise.  
The officer drew closer to them. "You shouldn't be out here! Get inside!"  
Isaac stepped forward. "Excuse us, ma'am, but we are aware of what's going on. We plan to help bring the criminals to justice in some way, and we know the risks involved."  
The officer eyed him. "So, are all of you licensed Pokémon Trainers?"  
Everyone else nodded. The officer's eyes lit up. "What a miracle!" she exclaimed. "My name's Jenny. Follow me, please."  
Taylor rushed past the others and trailed her. Isaac laughed, Crystal rolled her eyes, and Josh burped.  
Taylor looked at Jenny. She was very fair and attractive, and held his attention. He took a deep breath, stood tall, and announced, "My name is Taylor Hiroson and those three are my assistants. I knew that something was wrong and I gathered them here. I will do anything in my power to stop these fiends!"  
The officer smiled at him, making him want to melt into the pavement. Then she said, "Well, we appreciate that, Taylor. You're a nice little boy."  
Taylor stopped dead in his tracks and collapsed on his head. "Little.boy?" he stammered. She looked down at him. "Is something wrong, kid?"  
Taylor winced and gave a big sigh. "No, nothing's wrong.I, uh, tripped over something."  
Officer Jenny shrugged and kept walking. Taylor grudgingly got on his feet and followed, with the others close behind. Jenny led the group to the police station. She left them at the entrance and went inside. Moments later, she returned.  
"I've been informed that the Boulder Gang is still in Violet City, and you will be greatly rewarded if you are able to bring any of them to justice," she told them.  
Everyone except Taylor smiled. "Cool, that means I'll be even more rich!" Josh exclaimed.  
"The reward I'd want I'm not going to get." Taylor grumbled.  
Crystal gave her brother a playful shove. "Oh, come on, cheer up. Let's help out, anyway."  
Taylor nodded. The four traveled around the city, looking for any leads to where the Boulder Gang was. Then, Josh stumbled over something rough and hard. He scrambled to his feet and looked down. Sitting there was a round Pokémon made of stone that had an angry face and two large arms.  
"Hey, guys, I found a Geodude!" Josh called. The others turned to face him.  
"What's a Geodude doing here?" Crystal asked.  
"Quite simple. He's my Pokémon," someone answered.  
The group turned to see a young boy that was about Josh's age. His eyes were emerald green and he had curly brown hair. He wore torn up clothes and a bandanna around his head. He also seemed rather scrawny and small.  
Taylor glared at him. "Who are you?"  
The boy snickered. "My name is Blake Marbal, and I'm a proud member of the Boulder Gang!" he declared.  
Taylor clenched a fist. "The Boulder Gang?" he shouted. "Your group is terrorizing this city! Take me to your leader now!"  
Josh laughed. "Taylor, I don't know about you, but we're not aliens," he joked.  
Blake smiled. "All right, tell ya what," he started. "If one of you losers can defeat me in a Pokémon battle, I'll lead you to our boss."  
"You're on!" Taylor exclaimed, stepping towards him. Then, a hand pulled on his jacket sleeve, stopping him. Taylor whirled around and found Isaac looking at him.  
"Let me handle this," Isaac suggested. "It's been a while since I've had a good fight."  
Taylor nodded and backed up. Isaac approached Blake and the Geodude. He fingered for his Pokéball that contained Venonat and tossed it on the ground. The surrounding area was lit up, and the bug creature emerged. Blake stared at it and laughed.  
"A Bug Pokémon, huh?" he said. "Rocks squish bugs, so this will be no challenge."  
Isaac grinned. "I guess we'll find out, won't we?"  
Blake ordered his Geodude to rush in and tackle the Venonat down. Isaac quickly commanded Venonat to avoid it, and the bug leaped high into the air and somersaulted, landing just behind the Geodude. Isaac smiled.  
"All right, Venonat! Unleash your Stun Spore!" he shouted.  
Soon after, Venonat launched hundreds of tiny, yellow spores at the rock Pokémon. The spores latched onto the Geodude, and disabled most of its movement. The Geodude cried out and Blake widened his eyes in surprise. Then, Blake regained his composure and chuckled.  
"A Stun Spore, huh?" he said. "It doesn't matter. Geodude won't have to move much to use Magnitude!"  
Then, the Geodude managed to slam its fists into the pavement, splitting it down the middle. This triggered a massive earthquake, hammering Isaac's Venonat and forcing it in between the cracks. The Venonat barely hung on enough to recover and flung itself back to the surface. Isaac sighed.  
"All right, Venonat," he exclaimed. "Try a Solarbeam!"  
Venonat nodded and stood still. Blake stared in amazement as the tiny creature began to gather energy directly from the sunlight. The Venonat began to glow a bright yellow and occasionally flashed white. Then, Blake ordered his Geodude to do the Magnitude attack once more. This time, Venonat sailed over the tremor, gave a sharp cry, and unleashed a wide, green beam at the Geodude. The Solarbeam slammed into the Geodude and sent it flying into a nearby building. The impact was so great that parts of the building began to crumble.  
Isaac did a victory sign. "Way to go, Venonat!"  
Blake cursed and stomped the ground. He took out his Pokéball and returned the injured Pokémon. He came up to Isaac.  
"You had a lot of nerve to pull off that little stunt," he said. "But I admit I'm impressed. The match goes to you."  
Taylor gave Isaac a high five and approached Blake. "All right, now show us where your boss is now."  
Blake sighed and nodded. He stepped ahead of the group and waved. "This way."  
The four trainers followed him around a few turns and across several streets until they came to an enormous tower. Taylor gazed at it in awe, remembering that he could see this monument from miles away before he had reached the city itself. The others looked up at the tower, and couldn't even see the top from where they were standing. When they brought their eyes back to the entrance, they noticed a large group of people that were spray painting around the doorway. The trainers ducked behind a growth of bushes nearby. Taylor gritted his teeth and opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Blake.  
"Here we are," he stated. "My gang loves vandalism. It's fun!"  
Crystal frowned. "It may be fun to you guys, but you're ruining the city and terrorizing its inhabitants!"  
Blake laughed. "You think we care?" he challenged.  
"Just get to the point, pal!" Josh said, sighing.  
Blake nodded and pointed to a man. The man had brown, spiky hair and tan skin. He was clad in leather boots, torn black pants, a black vest, and had sunglasses that shined as he glanced around. Blake grinned.  
"That's Boss Man Takeshi," he announced. "His real name was like Brock or something, but I don't know. They say that the only things that can pierce his heart of stone are rice balls, soy sauce, and pretty girls."  
Josh laughed and Crystal rolled her eyes. "Goodie, a glutton and a womanizer," she said sarcastically. "What a great guy."  
Isaac widened his eyes. "Brock.he was the former Gym Leader of Pewter City!"  
Taylor stood up. "In any case, we need to put an end to this."  
Blake looked up at him. "Are you crazy? First of all, you're extremely outnumbered. Second, Boss Man Takeshi is the best. You can't win."  
"Well, we need to do something!" Isaac exclaimed. Taylor, Josh, and Crystal all nodded.  
The four trainers, along with a reluctant Blake, stepped out and confronted the Boulder Gang. The gang members halted their vandalism and Boss Man Takeshi grinned, eyeing Blake. He slowly approached them, his sunglasses shining brightly in the sun.  
"Well, well, what do we have here?" he asked.  
Taylor moved forward and replied, "A handful of Pokémon Trainers that are here to stop your crimes!"  
Takeshi gave a big smile, followed by laughter. "Look, we're just having some fun, ok? I suggest you go home now before you get seriously hurt."  
Taylor clenched his fists. "No, we're not leaving! We want to stop what you're doing!"  
Takeshi smirked. "All right," he said. "Why don't you kids send out all of your Pokémon against all of the Pokémon my gang and myself have to offer?"  
Taylor nodded. "Yeah. Let's do this!"  
"Good," Takeshi said. "Now the Boulder Gang can have the fun of crushing the bones of you fools and your Pokémon with ours!"  
The gang members surrounded the group. Blake grinned. "Sorry, but you guys should never have intervened. I feel bad for what will happen to you now!" With that, he dashed back to his gang and joined them.  
"Blake.I hate you," Josh stated.  
Then, each member of the gang sent out different kinds of Rock Pokémon, such as Rhyhorn, a rhinoceros made of solid rock, Corsola, an aquatic creature with coral growing out of it, and Larvitar, a tiny and green Pokémon that had red eyes and a horn on its head. Blake released his Geodude, ready to fight. Then, Boss Man Takeshi tossed a more advanced Pokéball that flashed even brighter. A gigantic serpent creature made of segmented boulders emerged, roaring in its rage. Taylor and crew stared in both amazement and horror.  
"Th-th-that's.an O-Onix!" Isaac stammered, checking his Pokédex.  
Brock chuckled. "I told you that you were better off running back home."  
"I'm not running away," Taylor boasted. "Go, Chikorita and Spinarak!" He unleashed his two Pokémon, and his friends and sister did the same, revealing Cyndaquil, Ledyba, Venonat, a Vulpix, Charmander, Eevee, a Hoothoot, and a Sentret.  
A fierce and chaotic battle ensued. Taylor's Chikorita made quick work of the Rhyhorn with its Razor Leaf attack, but Spinarak was trampled. Isaac's skill with Venonat led to a victory against the Corsola. Larvitar was a much tougher opponent, resisting Cyndaquil, Charmander, and Vulpix's fire attacks and burying them into the ground with its Rock Throw attack. After much strategic attacking with his Pokémon and allowing the aid of Taylor and Chikorita, Josh was able to bring the beast down. Next were Blake and his Geodude. Even after learning his lesson during his battle with Isaac, Blake was no match for the team and Geodude was knocked out once more.  
Next came Takeshi with his mighty Onix, who had been waiting for the other battles to finish before taking on the group.  
"Well done," he said. "But it ends here. I purposely made my Onix wait and take you all on as a team, because I wanted a battle, not a massacre."  
Isaac shrugged. "Well, we might as well try."  
Their Pokémon charged forward and began to attack the Onix with everything they had. Even with type advantage over Rock, Chikorita and Venonat did little harm to the rock serpent. Eevee, Hoothoot, Sentret and Ledyba could barely even scratch its tough hide. Brock ordered Onix to swing its tail around, slamming Hoothoot and Sentret and sending them flying. Then, the powerful creature split the ground and burrowed under it, then shot up out of it and struck Chikorita and Eevee. Then, the Onix did a Rock Throw and buried Ledyba in a pile of rubble. It was clearly a losing battle.  
Takeshi beamed. "How do ya like that? Onix beat all of you at the same time!"  
Taylor pounded the ground and swore. "We can't lose."  
Blake and the other gang members gloated. "I tried to warn you guys," Blake said.  
Takeshi glanced around. "It seems that two of your Pokémon still want more bones broken."  
Then, Chikorita and Venonat struggled to their feet. Taylor and Isaac grinned at each other, thinking of a plan. Onix lunged for Venonat, ready to slam it under the ground. However, Venonat was nimble, and jumped out of the way. After that, the tiny bug leaped near Onix's face and released a barrage of small spores. Onix bellowed and swayed around, its vision impaired. Then, Taylor's Chikorita came down from the air, glowing yellow, and fired a large Solarbeam right into the Onix's open mouth.  
The giant Pokémon gave a cry and slammed hard into the ground. Taylor and Isaac did a victory sign.  
"Your Pokémon may be rough on the outside," Isaac exclaimed. "But on the inside it's quite vulnerable to attacks."  
Surprisingly, Takeshi did not clench a fist, swear, or even get angry. He leaned back and laughed. The four Pokémon Trainers looked at him curiously.  
"Did you really think that my Onix would be defeated so easily?" he questioned. "Onix! Get up!"  
The large rock serpent rose back up as instructed, seemingly unharmed. The trainers widened their eyes. The Onix gave a loud roar and stared down at the humans and Pokémon below. The Boulder Gang members, especially Blake, beamed with pride.  
Takeshi grinned. "Sorry, but it's all over for you now!" he shouted. "Onix! Crush the remaining Pokémon, then kill those kids!"  
All hope seemed lost. Both the trainers and their Pokémon shrunk back, waiting for their demise. Then, the sound of police sirens echoed through the air. A motorcycle halted. Soon, Officer Jenny and one of the Pokémon Center nurses were on the scene. They approached the ruthless gang leader, slightly fearful of the Onix.  
"A-all right, you're u-under a-a-arrest!" Jenny called. "R-r-return that P-Pokémon and s-surrender now!"  
Then, to everyone's surprise, Takeshi stuck his shades in his pocket, called his Onix back into its Pokéball and dashed toward the officer and nurse. His face was scarlet and he seemed like he was in a trance.  
"Oh, wow!" Takeshi shouted happily. "Officer Jenny! And Nurse Joy! I can't believe it!"  
He threw his arms around the officer and pulled her close. Her eyes widened with surprise and then she sighed. Everyone (except the gang members) stared in amazement. The Boulder Gang kept their heads low, and Taylor looked annoyed. Nurse Joy laughed, and Jenny gave a disgusted face, her head on Takeshi's chest. He traced a hand down her ocean blue hair. She trembled and pulled out of his grip, and then quickly snapped handcuffs on his wrists.  
Takeshi stared down at the handcuffs attached to him, and then smiled.  
"Does this mean you get to keep me with you?" He asked.  
Jenny shook her head. "You're under arrest and you're going to jail!"  
Takeshi looked over at Nurse Joy and smiled. "You came out here to see me, too?"  
Joy giggled. "Not exactly.I came to take care of any injuries."  
Takeshi nodded. "Well, you see, I have a lot of terrible wounds I need taken care of!" he said.  
Blake came up behind his leader and struck him over the head. "Hey, Boss, what are you doing?" he inquired. Takeshi shrugged, still in awe of the two gorgeous women in front of him. Blake sighed and grabbed Takeshi by his sleeve and dragged him. The officer stepped forward.  
"Hey, you!" she cried. "What do you think you're doing?"  
"We're taking him and getting outta here!" Blake shouted back.  
Taylor stepped forward to stop them, but realized that his and friends' Pokémon were too fatigued to fight. Takeshi resisted Blake's grip, wanting to run back to Jenny and Joy. Blake tugged harder, taking him back to where the other members stood. Takeshi put on a sorrowful face.  
"Hey, Jenny! Joy!" he shouted. "Can I get your numbers? I want to call you!"  
The officer and nurse sighed. Blake stared over at Taylor.  
"Fine, fine." Blake began. "So every leader has their flaws."  
Jenny drew her gun and aimed at him. "Put the leader down and give up, or I'll shoot!" she yelled.  
Blake grinned. "Sorry, lady, but we're going!"  
With that, Blake and the rest of the Boulder Gang threw down small, round bombs. Smoke rose from the bombs and vision was clouded. After a few seconds, the smoke cleared and the Boulder Gang was no where to be seen. They had escaped from the police once more. Jenny gave a long sigh, and Joy came over to the team's injured Pokémon and treated them. Shortly after, the young officer approached the trainers.  
"Thank you," she exclaimed. "Even though we didn't catch those criminals this time, we now know that there are people that can stop them. You risked your lives for the sake of the city."  
Taylor shrugged. "Aw, it was nothin'," he said.  
Crystal rolled her eyes. "You call us getting in a heated battle and almost getting killed by a giant Pokémon NOTHING?"  
Isaac and Josh laughed. "Actually, it was kind of fun, I think," Josh said.  
Jenny giggled. "How can we ever repay you?" she asked them.  
"Well, I'm starving!" Josh exclaimed.  
"Yeah, food does sound really good about now," Isaac said.  
Crystal agreed.  
Then, the officer looked over to Taylor. "And what about you, young man?"  
Taylor blushed and laughed nervously. "Well, uh, you see, uh."  
Jenny smiled. She leaned over and gave Taylor a kiss on the cheek, leaving a lipstick mark. Taylor's reddened face became even redder. He slowly fell down to the ground, fainting. Everyone else smiled and laughed out loud. Soon after, the city gave the crew a nice feast for their efforts. The trainers, especially, Josh, were quite grateful.  
Later that evening, Taylor came with his friends to the same tower where they had fought the Boulder Gang earlier.  
He looked up at it. "Woah.so THIS is Sprout Tower?"  
His sister nodded, chuckling at the lipstick mark that was still on his right cheek.  
"Yes," she said. "The officers at the party said that this is where trainers go to earn Hidden Machine #05."  
Isaac looked at her. "Oh, yes, Hidden Machines," he began. "The small, cube-like marvels that allow a Pokémon to learn a secret technique that is convenient for travel."  
Josh stared up at the tower. "So, should we check it out?" he wondered.  
Taylor and the rest nodded. "Yeah," Taylor said. "Let's go!"  
With that, the four Pokémon Trainers opened the door to the Sprout Tower and stepped inside. However, they weren't alone. Another figure, mysterious and stealthy, followed close behind.  
  
Chapter Four  
September 1, 2034, 12:03 A.M.  
The wooden floor creaked under the footsteps of the four Pokémon Trainers. It was very dark inside Sprout Tower, and shadows covered the walls. The members of the group were nervous and restless. The only light that they had came from the full moon in the sky outside the windows. Even then, that wasn't enough for human vision to be accurate. The trainers stayed close together so that they would not become separated.  
"Oh, man, where's a flashlight when you need one?" Josh complained, following right behind Crystal.  
"I agree," Crystal said. "This place gives me the creeps."  
"Yes, this place is a little scary," Taylor called back, in front of the others. "But we're fine. Nothing to worry about at all."  
"Except for ghosts," Isaac exclaimed, walking just behind Taylor. "Or more precisely, Ghost Pokémon."  
Josh shivered. "Ghosts?" he cried. "Now I really wish I hadn't gone in here!"  
"Keep it down, Josh!" Taylor hissed. "I'm trying to figure out how to get through this confusing place. Let's stick close together and watch for anything suspicious."  
The four trainers continued on until they came to a strange column in the center of the room. The column itself seemed to shake and wobble slightly. Josh raised his eyebrows.  
"Hey, guys, why is that pillar dancing?" he asked.  
Isaac shook his head. "That stone column is moving because it was built that way to protect Sprout Tower against earthquakes and other such disasters."  
Crystal smiled and exclaimed, "Wow, that's really neat! The people who made this place sure knew how to plan ahead!"  
Then, Taylor felt his spine tingle. The area around him now felt cooler. Wind lightly brushed against him. His eyes widened. Something else was there.  
"H-hey, g-guys," Taylor stammered. "We're not alone in here!"  
Josh cowered behind Crystal. "Mommy! Save me!"  
Crystal rolled her eyes. "I'm not your mommy," she said, shoving him back.  
Isaac kept his composure and held out his Pokédex in front of Taylor.  
  
"Stay calm, everyone," he announced. "We're going to find out what it is. Just because we can't see it yet, doesn't mean that the Pokédex can't identify it!"  
A bright holographic image appeared from the Pokédex and brightened the room. The image showed a sphere-shaped created surrounded by a strange gas-like substance. Isaac's eyes lit up. Taylor looked over at him.  
"It's a Gastly!" Isaac cried. "A Ghost Pokémon that often shows up in old, decrepit buildings such as the one we're in."  
Taylor nodded with understanding, and then whirled around to see the Gastly staring at him face-to-face, no longer invisible. It was black in the center, and had cold, piercing eyes. Its large mouth concealed two sharp fangs. A transparent and purple colored mist surrounded the ghost. Taylor's eyes widened.  
"When there's something strange in the neighborhood," Taylor began, eyeing the Gastly. "Who are you gonna call?"  
Josh stayed back and said, "Not us!"  
Crystal stared at her brother and shouted, "Come on, don't be scared! Use your Pokémon!"  
Taylor nodded and released his Chikorita. The Grass Pokémon stared into the Gastly's eyes with defiance. Isaac gave Taylor a look of warning.  
  
"Remember," Isaac said. "Non-Special Attacks won't harm it!"  
Taylor sighed. "Well, I guess you could use Razor Leaf. It's too dark to try a Solarbeam!"  
Chikorita gave off a cry and shot several of the leaves at the Ghost Pokémon. The Gastly seemed to laugh and swiftly avoided all of them. Gastly swooped down and touched the Chikorita with its long tongue. Chikorita gave out another cry and remained frozen in place. This was the Lick attack, which paralyzed the victim upon contact. Taylor's mouth stayed open.  
"Oh, great, and since he's part Poison type, the Absorb attack wouldn't have much effect, either!" he complained.  
Then, as Gastly prepared for another dive, Chikorita closed its eyes and cried aloud. Suddenly, the entire area lit up brilliantly. The full moon outside the tower gave way to shining sunlight. Though it was past midnight, it seemed like it was still in the early afternoon hours. The four trainers squinted their eyes at the bright light, and the Gastly shrieked. Taking advantage of the now risen sun, Chikorita charged up a Solarbeam and launched it at the ghost. The blast hit Gastly and the Ghost Pokémon fell to the wooden floor.  
Taylor got out one of his empty Pokéballs and heaved it at the downed ghost. The group watched in awe as the Gastly was pulled into the Pokéball with bright light, and the ball sealed shut tight. Taylor gave a sigh and smiled.  
"Well, guys," he exclaimed. "I caught me a ghost!"  
Crystal smiled at him. "Way to go, brother!"  
Josh came out from behind her. "It's gone now, right?"  
"Taylor captured it," Isaac said, laughing. "Nothing to worry about."  
Taylor placed the Pokéball that contained Gastly into his jacket pocket and noticed a set of stairs at the far end of the room.  
"There!" he said, pointing. "Come on, guys."  
The others nodded and the group started up the twisting stairs. They climbed single file, with Taylor at the front, followed by Crystal, then Isaac, and Josh was at the rear. The tower was tall, and the worn down stairs seemed to go on forever. Taylor's legs felt like weights had been chained onto them, and Josh grunted and groaned constantly. The group soon grew weary. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the steps ended at a large room. The Pokémon Trainers slowly traveled through the room.  
At the other side, the group found an elderly man. He was clad in a long, indigo colored robe and his head was shaven. He was seated on the floor against the wall. The man's legs were crossed and his eyes were closed, involved in deep meditation. Josh was the first to approach him.  
"Woah," Josh said. "I can see my reflection on his head!"  
Crystal glared at him. "Josh, what are you doing?  
Josh slowly leaned toward the man.  
"Cheese crackers!" he shouted.  
The old man fall backwards, his eyes snapping open. He scrambled to his feet and looked up at Josh.  
"What do you want?" he bellowed. "Can't you let a monk meditate in peace?"  
Taylor stepped forward. "We came here because we had heard that we can get the Hidden Machine #05 here, sir," he explained.  
The monk nodded. "I see.well, you've come to the right person. I am the Sprout Master, wise monk that oversees this ancient tower."  
Isaac's eyes lit up. "Wow, the Sprout Master? It's an honor to meet you, sir."  
The monk kept a straight face. His gaze met all four of them.  
"All right," he said. "Which of you will prove their worth in a Pokémon battle against me? Only then shall you receive the HM #05!"  
Josh grinned and walked forward. "I will."  
Taylor shot him a questioning look. "Are you sure you can handle this?"  
Josh nodded and replied, "Yes, with Eevee at my side."  
The Sprout Master smiled. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, young man. Let us begin."  
The monk pulled out a Pokéball from his robe and tossed it on the ground. A strange plant-like creature with several leaves and a bell- shaped head appeared. This was a Bellsprout, who was the very symbol of the Sprout Tower. Josh calmly released his Eevee, ready for the fight. The fox creature stared down the Grass Pokémon.  
Josh commanded the Eevee to lunge at the Bellsprout for an attack. The Eevee obeyed, but the Bellsprout nimbly dodged and struck the Eevee across the side with one of its leaves. Eevee slammed into the wall and fell. Getting on its feet again, Josh's Eevee came in for another strike on the Bellsprout. The clever plant creature leaped over the Eevee and grabbed its tail from behind. The Bellsprout lifted Eevee, swung it around several times, and threw it into the wall. Bellsprout followed up with the Absorb attack, draining Eevee's energy.  
Josh shook his head. "This.is.bad."  
The Sprout Master grinned. "Why don't you give up now, young one? Save yourself and your Eevee the pain!"  
"No way!" Josh shouted. "Eevee's not through yet (I hope)!"  
Then, the Eevee got on its feet and began to shine a bright white. Bellsprout's Absorb was broken off. Isaac watched closely.  
"It's.evolving!" he exclaimed.  
The Eevee started to grow rapidly. Leaves, thorns, and vines sprouted out form its body. Its eyes turned to a red color. Its fur was now green. The new creature stepped forward defiantly.  
Taylor checked his Pokédex. "It can't identify it at all!" he cried. "That must be an undiscovered species!"  
Crystal stared in amazement. "Well, if it's undiscovered, what do we call it?"  
The creature gave off a cry, answering Crystal's question. "Sol.e.on."  
"Soleon?" Josh said. "Cool!"  
Now, Josh ordered Soleon to attack the Bellsprout. The Soleon leapt high into the air and crashed down on it. Vines shot out from Soleon's sides and whipped the Bellsprout. The small plant creature cried out and collapsed. Josh and Soleon had won. The Sprout Master returned his Pokémon into the Pokéball, in shock at his loss.  
"Simply amazing, young one," he said. "I am impressed."  
Then, the Soleon shone brightly and shrunk back down into Eevee. Isaac's mouth flew open.  
"H-how is that possible?" he wondered. "Once an Eevee evolves, it can't go back to its original form.can it?"  
Josh smiled. "That's my Eevee, all right." He called the Eevee back into its ball and put it in his pocket. The Sprout Master handed Josh several cube-like objects.  
"Take these," he said. "Those are copies of the Hidden Machine #05. When you break it open over a Pokémon, small particles will flow out and allow it to learn a new technique. In this case, the technique is Flash. Your Pokémon will be able to give off large amounts of light, which will be helpful to you in dark places."  
Josh took them in his hand and nodded. "Thanks."  
"You earned them," the monk replied.  
Josh strolled over and handed Taylor, Isaac, and Crystal each a copy of the HM #05. Taylor glanced back at the monk.  
"What should we do now, sir?" he asked.  
The Sprout Master looked at him. "Now, I suggest you do what you came here for and challenge the Gym Leader of Violet City. The HM #05 will only activate once you have earned the badge."  
Taylor nodded. "Yeah! I can't wait!"  
Suddenly, the room began to tremble. It shook violently, throwing the group off balance.  
"What was that?" Crystal inquired.  
"Is it an earthquake?" Josh wondered.  
Isaac shook his head. "Remember what I said? This tower is supposed to be resistant to earthquakes!"  
Far below them, at the base of the tower, a lone figure stood in front of the wobbling pillar. He drew his gloved hand back, clenched it into a fist, and slammed it into the column with intense force. The Sprout Tower shook once more, but the column remained intact, with the exception of a few cracks. The black suited man sighed.  
"It seems I will have to take other measures to bring this place to its knees," he said to himself in a low voice.  
The figure brought out a small device and aimed it at the pillar. Flames spewed out of the device and engulfed the pillar. The man grinned.  
"Fire spreads quickly through wooden substances," he said. "And now.this!"  
He swung his right leg around and struck the column. A loud snapping sound echoed through the tower. The column was split, and finally gave way. The fire spread up the tower at a fast rate. The mysterious figure dashed quickly outside of the tower into the black night.  
In the topmost room, Taylor looked around him.  
"Did you guys hear that sound?" he asked.  
Isaac nodded and wrinkled his face. "Not only that but.I smell smoke!"  
Josh gasped. "We need to call 911 now!"  
The monk sighed. "I'm afraid it is a bit late now for that. Someone has set Sprout Tower ablaze, and from the look of all the shaking, they have also found a way to cause it to crumble."  
The tower continued to shake violently. Fire spread up into the top floor. Taylor grabbed his sister's hand and pulled her to him. He glanced at the Sprout Master.  
"What do we do?" he shouted.  
The monk approached the group and handed Taylor a tiny black box.  
"This here is called an Escape Rope," he explained. "When you open it, a rope will appear in the air. When one or more persons touch it, they will instantly be transported to the entrance of the place that they are currently in."  
Taylor nodded and opened the box. A strange, floating rope appeared.  
  
"Ok, everyone," Taylor exclaimed. "Let's grab it!"  
The four trainers and the Sprout Master touched the rope, and blue light flashed brightly. Seconds later, they found themselves at the door to the tower. They saw the broken pillar and flames that were crawling around the room. Debris fell down, and the structure was going to give way soon. The five quickly threw open the door and ran away from the tower. Moments later, Sprout Tower leaned toward Violet City and completely collapsed. Several buildings were also demolished from the impact.  
The four trainers stared at the wreckage in horror. The great Sprout Tower, a symbol of nature and prosperity, had fallen. Several lives were lost, and hundreds of other innocents were injured. Police reports were filed. Officers and firefighters alike began working on cleaning up the enormous mess. Taylor and the others returned to the Violet City Pokémon Center. The Sprout Master followed them inside and looked at all of them.  
"It is clear that it was no accident," he began. "There are no flame starting materials inside the tower. Someone must have deliberately done this terrible deed."  
Taylor nodded. "And it's obvious that the one who did it must have known we were in there. I think that Team Rocket did it. It had to be them. They mercilessly murdered people in my hometown. They must have wanted you or us dead."  
Crystal looked over to the monk. "Now that Sprout Tower is ruined, where are you going to stay?" she asked.  
The monk sighed. "I shall stay here for now. I will eventually find another home. Don't worry about me."  
He stepped forward and pointed at Taylor. "This may sound strange given the recent occurrences, but you should focus on challenging the Gym Leader now. It is part of the path you chose."  
Isaac nodded. "I agree. I want to see what this will be like."  
Josh yawned. "But I want to go to sleep first," he said.  
Taylor laughed. "All right," he exclaimed. "Let's get some rest and go to the Gym tomorrow."  
Taylor Hiroson found himself in a shadowy forest. He glanced around, getting the feeling that he was not alone. The trees rustled as the wind blew. In the distance, he spotted a strange outline of someone unfamiliar. Taylor ran towards the figure. The stranger turned to him.  
"I'm coming for you, Taylor Hiroson," the figure declared. "You're next on my list!"  
Taylor trembled. "W-who are you?" he stammered.  
"I am many things," the stranger replied. "Death, destruction, chaos.but also your biggest fear to come."  
Taylor shook his head. "No way! I'm not scared of you!"  
"We shall see," the figure answered. "I will slaughter you and all of those around you."  
"NO!" Taylor screamed.  
His eyes snapped open. He leaned up and glanced around, realizing that he was still in the lobby of the Pokémon Center. He was still inside his sleeping bag. He gave a long sigh.  
"Just a nightmare," Taylor said to himself. "Guess the excitement of battling a Gym Leader got to my head."  
He looked at his Pokégear watch. "Woah! 10:14! I overslept!"  
Taylor jumped out of bed. He threw on his usual attire, hat and all, and put his backpack on. He sprinted out the door of the Pokémon Center and dashed toward the Pokémon Gym. The streets were relatively empty, with the exception of the workers that were rebuilding the city. He found the gym a few blocks down from the Pokémon Center. The building was large, and it towered over the rest of the city. He spotted his sister and his two friends right outside the entrance.  
"Hey, guys, I made it!" Taylor shouted, running to them.  
"We had been waiting for you for over an hour, Taylor!" Crystal said.  
Josh laughed and said, "I'll bet you were having a nice dream about some cute girl again, weren't you?"  
Taylor shook his head. "Actually, it was a nightmare, but don't worry about it."  
Isaac looked at Taylor. "Are you coming inside with us?" he asked.  
Taylor nodded. "You bet I am!" he replied.  
Isaac turned the handle on the door and the group stepped inside. He shut the door behind them. The four trainers glanced around the enormous and dimly lit room. The ceiling was domed, and there were many statues of Pokémon lined along the walls. In the center of the room was an enormous gap. A twisting bridge made of stone extended over it. The group started across it.  
Soon, they came to a tall man with a mohawk. A small Bird Pokémon, called a Spearow, was perched on his arm. His eyes scanned the trainers.  
"Hey, you!" the man bellowed. "Are you all here to see Faulkner?"  
"If that's the Gym Leader, then yes, we are," Taylor answered.  
The man grinned. "I am an apprentice to him. You'll have to defeat me first!"  
Taylor tried to step forward, but his sister shoved him back. "Let me handle this!" Crystal exclaimed. He nodded and watched as she approached the apprentice trainer.  
"Ah, so a lady wants to battle me? Let's see how good you are!" he yelled.  
Crystal unleashed her Cyndaquil. The Spearow on the man's arm swooped down onto the floor. The man barked an order at the Spearow. The bird flapped its wings and flew toward Cyndaquil, rapidly pecking at it. Then, the fiery spikes erupted from the Fire Pokémon's back and it breathed scorching flames at the Spearow. The flames badly burned the bird, and plunged to the ground hard. The bird keeper returned his Spearow back into its Pokéball, and Crystal did so with her Cyndaquil.  
"Well, not bad," the man said. "But how well will you fare against Faulker? You may proceed."  
He stepped aside and the group reached the end of the bridge. At the other side, the trainers found another man standing in an enormous arena surrounded by statues. His arms were crossed, and his gaze bore into them. He wore a long, traditional robe and wooden sandals. He had long and green hair that covered half of his face.  
"Greetings, trainers," he said. "I am Faulkner, Leader of the Violet City Pokémon Gym."  
Taylor smiled. "It's an honor to meet you, sir."  
Faulkner kept a long face. "So, I take it you came to challenge me?" he asked.  
Each trainer nodded.  
"All right," Faulkner began. "Since you seem to be beginners on your journey, I will explain how it is done. Gym Leaders are Pokémon Trainers that are skilled in the ways of Pokémon and are chosen by the Pokémon League. The League pays for the Leader's expenses, and arranges for a building to be made for the Leader to train in and accept challenges from trainers. Usually, Gym Leaders dedicate themselves to adapt to the use of only one certain type of creature, and are paid by the League regardless of whether they defeat challengers or not. When a challenger defeats a Gym Leader, the Leader is obligated to give them the respected badge of the Gym, and a Technical Machine. The badge itself is proof of your victory, and has many uses, whereas the TM is similar to an HM, except it only teaches battling attacks and can be used only one time. In any case, the Gym Leader determines the rules of battle. Do you understand?"  
Everyone nodded. "Now, who shall challenge me first?" Faulkner asked.  
Taylor parted from the others and entered the arena. Faulkner smiled. "All right, Pokémon Trainer, I shall fight you. The rules for this match are that you are to use only two Pokémon against two of mine, and there is no time limit."  
"Sounds good to me," Taylor exclaimed.  
Faulkner stared at him. "Ok, challenger, what is your name?"  
"I'm Taylor Hiroson," Taylor answered.  
"Well, then, Taylor Hiroson," Faulkner said. "I am a master of Flying Pokémon and I will not be taken lightly! Let us begin!"  
Isaac, Josh, and Crystal watched closely. Faulkner drew out a Pokéball and hurled it at the floor. Out of it came a strange, two-headed bird with no wings and two long beaks. Taylor checked his Pokédex.  
"A Doduo? It's a speedy Normal/Flying type that truly cannot take to the skies."  
Taylor pondered what his Pokémon choice would be. "Well, I can't use Spinarak," he thought to himself. "It's a tiny bug, and birds eat bugs. Not good. And I can't use Gastly, either. Ghosts are immune to Normal attacks, however, Normal creatures are also immune to Ghost type attacks. I guess I have no choice but to use Chikorita."  
Taylor released his Chikorita and it slowly made its way to the center of the arena. The Doduo was faster, so it got the first attack. It quickly sped toward Chikorita and started hammering the Grass Pokémon with its two beaks. Chikorita took the beating and flew backward.  
Isaac's eyes widened. "Man, not good," he said. "Taylor's best selection was Chikorita, and Grass types aren't good against Flying. That Doduo just used the Peck attack. This is bad."  
Chikorita struggled to its feet. Doduo leaped high into the air and slammed down onto the creature. Chikorita wailed in pain. The Doduo jumped off and started to drill Chikorita with its sharp beaks. Chikorita's skin began to tear, and it bled lightly.  
Taylor's heart began to pound, and sweat poured from his forehead. He did his best to keep his composure. He commanded Chikorita let out its Vine Whip attack. Chikorita obeyed and two thick vines shot out from its sides and wrapped around the Doduo's twin necks. The vines wrapped tighter, pulling the heads together. Then, Chikorita lifted up the Doduo high with the vines and forcefully slammed it into the ground. The two- headed bird laid still, and Faulkner called it back into its Pokéball.  
Faulkner grinned. "Very good," he exclaimed. "But can you handle this?"  
Faulkner unleashed a large bird that had a long tail and a red head crest. It squawked loudly and stared down Taylor's Chikorita.  
"Wow! It's a Pidgeotto!" Taylor shouted. "I'm in big trouble."  
Faulkner gave more orders to the Pidgeotto and the bird sailed into the air, then dove down at blinding speed, drilling its beak into Chikorita. The Grass Pokémon cried out and fell on its side. Then, Pidgeotto went for another swift dive, and planted its sharp talons into Chikorita. Taylor's Pokémon still managed to get back on its feet. Blood flowed out of its wounds faster. Chikorita attempted to shoot out Razor Leaves, but the Pidgeotto flapped its wings rapidly, creating a strong gust of wind that deflected them. The whirlwind was so powerful that it knocked back Chikorita far enough to force it helplessly down the large pit.  
Taylor panicked. "No! Chikorita!"  
Faulkner laughed. "Sorry, trainer, but it fell a long way down. The gap is rather deep, but it should survive. Face it, trainer, you've lost."  
Crystal sighed. "I guess there wasn't any way he could win."  
Taylor fell to his knees. It was his first Gym Leader battle, and he failed miserably. He shook his head and pounded the floor with his hands. Then, he heard a small voice emit from the darkness below.  
"Chiko.rita."  
Taylor's eyes lit up. He ran over to the edge of the gap and found his beloved Chikorita hanging there by its vines. The vines were coiled around one of the arena statues. Taylor smiled. He reached out a hand to help Chikorita up. Then, to his surprise, the Chikorita began to swing back and forth, building up momentum. Taylor backed away from the pit, wondering what it was doing.  
After several swings, Chikorita disconnected its vines from the statue and flung itself high into the air. The Chikorita soared and landed on the back of Faulkner's Pidgeotto. The giant bird cried out and spun around, trying to force the Grass creature off of it. The Chikorita kept its grip on Pidgeotto, and unleashed more Razor Leaves on it. The leaves cut deep into the Flying Pokémon, and left major wounds. The Pidgeotto decided to dive toward the ground and slam the Chikorita into it. However, as it descended, Chikorita performed the Absorb attack and drained its energy, forcing it to plunge into the ground unconscious.  
Chikorita dismounted from Pidgeotto. Everyone stared at the scene speechless. Faulkner's eyes widened with amazement. Taylor beamed proudly. Faulkner withdrew Pidgeotto, and Taylor returned Chikorita. Faulkner walked over to Taylor. He shook his hand.  
"Congratulations, trainer," he said. "You have won."  
Isaac, Josh, and Crystal rushed over to Taylor. Crystal hugged her brother.  
"Great job, Taylor!" she shouted.  
"That was cool!" Josh said.  
Taylor nodded and faced Faulkner. The Gym Leader placed a small object that was shaped like a pair of wings into Taylor's hand. Then, Faulkner also gave him a small cube.  
"These are yours," Faulkner said. "The Zephyr Badge and the TM #31. The badge will be proof of your win, and it emits small signals that not only power up your Pokémon's potential, but also activate your HM #05. As for the TM, it contains Mud Slap, an attack that damages your opponent and lowers their accuracy. Well done, trainer. I hope that your friends do just as well."  
Soon after, Isaac challenged Faulkner, followed by Crystal, and then Josh. Isaac did well with his Charmander and Venonat, Crystal pulled out a victory with Cyndaquil, and Josh defeated the Leader with his Hoothoot and Eevee. The four trainers had won their first actual Gym Leader match. They left the Violet City Gym with a newfound confidence in themselves. As they strolled away from the building, an odd man in a lab coat approached them.  
"Excuse me," the man started. "Would one of you happen to be Taylor Hiroson?"  
Taylor waved a hand. "That would be me."  
The man adjusted his glasses and looked at Taylor.  
"I'm one of Professor Elm's aides. Come back to the Pokémon Center with me. I have something for you."  
The group followed him back to the Pokémon Center, wondering what was next.  
  
Chapter Five  
  
September 1, 2034, 4:42 P.M.  
  
Taylor Hiroson and the others entered the lobby of the Violet City Pokémon Center. They found Professor Elm's aide holding what seemed to be a strange, large egg. It was white, decorated by various shapes of different colors. The scientist walked over to them and gave them a closer view of the egg. The four trainers stared at it.  
"Now, is it supposed to be scrambled or boiled?" Josh asked.  
The aide chuckled. "You don't eat it! This is a Pokémon Egg!"  
Isaac smiled and brushed his hair back. "That's what I figured," he said. "I've worked with Pokémon Eggs before during my research, but I've never seen one quite like that!"  
The aide carefully placed the egg into Taylor's hands.  
"Here, it's yours," the scientist said. "Professor Elm requested that you take care of it. When it hatches, he wants you to contact him. Well, that is all. Good-bye, everyone."  
With that, the aide stepped out of the Pokémon Center. Taylor gazed down at the odd egg.  
"I wonder what will hatch out of this thing," Taylor wondered.  
"I hope it'll be cute!" Crystal said.  
Taylor later lifted his eyes from the Pokémon Egg to find Josh right in his face. Taylor stared at him blankly.  
"Yeah? What's with you?" Taylor asked.  
Josh gave him a big smile. "I was thinking, Taylor," he exclaimed. "Why not let me take care of it? I know it's supposed to be your job, but I'm in training to be a Pokémon Breeder. Can I hold on to it? I promise I'll be careful."  
Taylor stood and pondered the request.  
"Hmmm.oh, all right," Taylor agreed. "But make sure that whatever hatches out of that thing comes back to me, ok?"  
Josh nodded with understanding. Taylor gave the egg to Josh, and Josh carefully placed it inside his backpack. Taylor laid out on one of the couches and sighed.  
He stared up at Isaac and questioned, "So, now that we beat the Gym Leader here and got our first badge, now where do we go?"  
"To Goldenrod City," Isaac replied. "Take a look at the map installed into your Pokégear. I think we're supposed to take Route 36, which starts northwest of this city. We'll follow it to Goldenrod."  
Taylor nodded and got on his feet. "Well, what are we waiting for, then?"  
Isaac smiled and packed his belongings.  
Taylor came to Crystal and asked, "Are you ready to leave?"  
Crystal nodded. "Yeah. Remember, brother, where you go, I go!"  
The four trainers departed from the Pokémon Center and traveled northwest of the city. They came to the edge of Route 36 and started down it. After several minutes of walking, they came across a strange tree that blocked the path to Goldenrod. It was tall and thin, and had round, green leaves on its branches. They came closer to it.  
"What on earth is that?" Crystal inquired.  
Josh poked it. The odd tree started to wiggle. "Cool! A dancing tree!"  
Isaac laughed. "That is really strange."  
Taylor looked at the tree curiously. "There's something else to this plant."  
Then, the tree opened a pair of eyes and looked at the four. They stared at it in wonder.  
"It's alive!" Josh shouted.  
Isaac rolled his eyes. "Of course it's alive. It's a Pokémon."  
Taylor consulted his Pokédex. It stated that the bizarre tree was called a Sudowoodo, and that it was actually made of rock.  
"Sudowoodo, huh?" Taylor exclaimed. "It won't move an inch. What do we do?"  
Crystal sighed. "I suppose we'll have to find another way to our destination."  
Taylor reached for his Pokéball, then Isaac stopped him.  
"Don't!" Isaac hissed. "Leave it alone. It looks like it could have a bad temper. Even if you had the advantage, it could pound our Pokémon and us if we're not careful! Let's head back to town."  
The Pokémon Trainers shook their heads and returned to Violet City. Taylor checked his Pokégear map.  
"The only other route that goes from here is Route 32. It says that the route is south of the city, and winds through Union Cave and Azalea Town."  
Isaac smiled. "That's still good," he exclaimed. "That way, we can take the long way and go through Azalea Town, which contains another Pokémon Gym, I believe."  
Taylor glanced at Josh and Crystal. "Hey, are you guys ok with taking the scenic route?"  
They both nodded. The group headed south of Violet City and found the beginning of Route 32. 


End file.
